


the sweet breath of Aphrodite

by FeatheredShadow



Category: Alexander (2004)
Genre: Late Night Conversations, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 19:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13441824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeatheredShadow/pseuds/FeatheredShadow
Summary: Is there not love in your life, Alexander?The night was already well-advanced, most sounds of the party already gone silent, but Alexander could still hear the buzzing of the palace by the open window. Despite their heated embrace of earlier, he couldn’t sleep, Hephaestion’s words whirling in his mind.





	the sweet breath of Aphrodite

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was rewatching the balcony scene a few days ago, and feelings happened.  
>  _[companion gifset.](http://darknesshadows.tumblr.com/post/169971199099/is-there-not-love-in-your-life-alexander-the)_

_Is there not love in your life, Alexander?_

The night was already well-advanced, most sounds of the party already gone silent, but Alexander could still hear the buzzing of the palace by the open window. Despite their heated embrace of earlier, he couldn’t sleep, Hephaestion’s words whirling in his mind. His lover wasn’t so troubled that he hadn’t fall asleep once they were done pleasuring each other, and his irregular snore was the only sound breaking the quietness of the room.

Alexander let his eyes roam over the expanse of skin resting in the darkness next to him. He never failed to marvel at the beauty of the firm, hard lines of Hephaestion’s body, and today was no exception. He had missed him – had missed his proximity, and not only his presence in the royal Macedonian bed. Ruling the Persian empire was no small task and despite the army of counselors he was surrounded with, he still wanted the opinion of his closest companions – and the most trusted of all, his dear Hephaestion.

He started running his fingers over Hephaestion’s body, feathery touches that reminded him that this, here and now, was more real than what he had experimented in the past few weeks. The numerous pleasures of Babylon – and they seemed to be without an end, every day bringing something new to discover – might have been enough to make him lose sight of his next goal, if only for a few hours, but none of them could compare to his childhood friend.

Not even Bagoas.

The eunuch was probably the best surprise Babylon had to offer him, but although the novelty and the charms were more than enough to relax his body at the end of a day, it was nothing to the peace that came from being close to Hephaestion.

He traced the still-healing scar that was standing out on his lover’s cheek, holding his gesture for a brief moment as Hephaestion frowned in his sleep, a breath escaping him. Still, he didn’t wake up and Alexander resumed his touches, marveling at the beauty of their stolen moment.

They had gone farther than anyone had ever expected them to do, and he knew there were far more territories to discover – to conquer. Eastern lands they had only heard of, which existence they weren’t even sure of, and they were all waiting for him to reach them.

His fingers were still running up and down Hephaestion’s skin and he felt more than saw his lover stir before finally waking up, blinking for a few seconds before focusing his attention on him, eyes shining bright in the dimly-lit room.

“Alexander?” came as a whisper, before Hephaestion shifted a little on himself, a shiver overwhelming him.

“I didn’t mean to wake you up,” Alexander said in a low voice all while drawing the sheet over Hephaestion, hand resting atop his lover’s shoulder.

His beloved yawned and blinked for a few times, settling more comfortably into the bed, before looking at him and tilting his head to the side, studying him.

“You’re still thinking about your conquests,” Hephaestion pointed out after a few minutes, still half-asleep and turning to be now leaning against Alexander, one arm thrown across his stomach. “We’ll keep marching east, you know. The men just need their rest.”

“And they will have it,” Alexander promised, slightly bending down to kiss a beloved front, lips brushing over the fresh scar.

How close of a fight had it been during the battle of Gaugamela, exactly? They were all used to getting hurt in a battle, but this particular one could have cost Hephaestion his sight – or even worst, his _life_ – and he suddenly shivered at the thought, holding onto Hephaestion’s neck and kissing him fiercely, swallowing his surprised gasp at the same time.

“What has gotten into you?” Hephaestion enquired in a low tone once they separated, one hand moving to brush through Alexander’s golden locks.

“I need you at my side, always,” Alexander answered gravely.

Emotions flickered on Hephaestion’s face and he was the one to initiate the kiss this time, tugging onto Alexander’s hair so that they were now lying side by side. They didn’t need to use words for once, their bodies speaking perfectly well for them, and Alexander found himself more than comforted in the warmth of Hephaestion spreading over him. It wasn’t about a physical need being met, it was something was purer – something than transcended their mortal forms and could only hope to reach the gods.

If Zeus truly was his father – and he was inclined to believe it, considering how often eagles had shown themselves to him on the edge of every defining moments of his life – then perhaps he could protect his beloved Hephaestion? For surely, the gods knew he needed to have his Patroclus at his side – else, how was he supposed to fulfill his destiny?

How was he supposed to be such a great conqueror without Hephaestion to steady him?

“I’ll never leave you,” Hephaestion vowed once they finally separated.

They had moved during their kissing, in such a way that Hephaestion was now lying proud on top of him, bodies pressed firmly together. Alexander moved his hand so as to put it against his beloved’s back, stroking it gently, comforted by the intensity he could read in the bright blue eyes staring at him.

He could lose himself onto Hephaestion’s eyes and had done so on so many occasions since their youth, fascinated by the brightness of their color and the way it could change with the sun – or a simple change of light.

“And neither will I,” Alexander answered after a time, feeling more reassured than usual now that Hephaestion was lying against him, arranging himself so that they could continue their conversation without one of them being crushed by the other.

“Babylon is just the start of everything else,” he went on after a few minutes of silence, tilting his head to the side so that he could look at Hephaestion, who was drawing circles on his stomach, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I can feel it. This is just the beginning, for you and me – for everyone else.”

“The generals would like it to be closer to the end, though,” Hephaestion pointed out. “Soldiers want to go home, too.”

“Not while Darius hasn’t been captured,” Alexander immediately answered, calming down as Hephaestion stroked his hair gently.

“That’s a given. But after that… they won’t necessarily want to go to the other side of the world without knowing when they will be able to return home.”

Alexander stayed silent for a few moments, hand stilling on Hephaestion’s back, before resuming his stroking. He was tempted to go a little farther, but Hephaestion’s hand was particularly playful against his skin, and that option seemed particularly enjoyable, too. It had been so long since they had last spent the night together, and he wanted to indulge in every single moment he could spend with his beloved Hephaestion.

“I’ll deal with that once it becomes an issue,” he finally said after a moment of consideration. “But you will be there with me, won’t you?”

“When have I ever not been?” Hephaestion answered with seriousness, a grave expression on his face. “I would follow you into the Underworld, Alexander, you know it well. Although,” and his expression changed a little, “it is more likely that _you_ would follow me there… my Achilles.”

Alexander kissed him, slightly overwhelmed by emotions and not knowing what to say. Words tended to fail him, at times, and he regretted not being able to express himself as well as Hephaestion deserved it. Hell, there had been many gifts the gods had honored him with, but poetry wasn’t one of them – much to his dismay, in that kind of situation.

“I wouldn’t go where you couldn’t follow, Hephaestion,” he promised in a low voice. “This, these conquests,” and he gestured at the walls around them and everything between them, “couldn’t have happened if you hadn’t been at my side. Couldn’t happen if you weren’t there, either. I need you to be there with me.”

“I am. And I always will be,” came the answer before Alexander’s lips were claimed in an insistent kiss, Hephaestion tugging slightly at his hair while he moved to position himself on top of Alexander once again.

“Worry not, my Alexander, for I will always be at your side, to the other side of the world and back,” he promised him in a deep voice.

His every move made his future plans quite clear and Alexander gladly let himself being guided, too eager for the feeling of serenity that came over him every time they lost themselves into each other. There was no doubting Hephaestion’s sincerity and Alexander thanked the gods – once again – for having gifted him with the greatest treasure he could find in his life: the other half of his soul.

ooOoo

_Again and again and again and again I see your face in everything._

_Oh Hephaestion, why did you have to go? Why did you leave me?_

He could hear his generals, talking around his deathbed in ushered tones, already making arrangements for his death, pleading with him to give them a name to lead them – how could they not realize that there was only one man to whom he would have gladly given his empire, knowing it would be in good hands, and that man was already dead?

His beloved Hephaestion would have been the best man to keep his empire afloat, but he was gone now – had been gone for months, leaving him alone in a world that had grown cold ever since. He could not even see the stars anymore – and hadn’t Hephaestion one day said he was like the sun? But what good was a sun without stars to shine, even in the darkest night?

He could hear them harping him for a name, begging talking of great catastrophes if he didn’t name anyone, but he was too tired – too sick, too feverish – to care. He could see the great eagle descending upon him, finally, breaking him back home, and he knew that his time had finally come.

He had a small price for it to pay, but by the gods, how much could a ring be worth when he knew he was finally going to be reunited with his Patroclus?

He had done it. He had followed in the footsteps of his great ancestor, Achilles, and he had met his own glory.

And he was going to die, now.

_Wait for me, Hephaestion. I am coming._

**Author's Note:**

> ;-)


End file.
